The present invention relates to the towing equipment field and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for converting a simple draw bar and hitch ball arrangement in order to allow the addition of the sway control when towing a trailer.
It has long been recognized that the conventional ball and socket interconnection between a trailer hitch on the towing vehicle such as an automobile or light truck and the trailer tongue of a towed vehicle such as a camper or other trailer permits the possibility of undesirable sway of the towed vehicle under certain operating conditions. Such conditions may result from rough, uneven or winding roads, environmental factors such as cross winds or even the suspension characteristics of the vehicles involved.
In order to minimize or eliminate sway a number of sway control devices have been developed including, for example, the trailer sway control device set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,885 to Good et al. and the friction sway control device presently sold by Reese Products, Inc. under part number 26660.
Generally, the ball mount heads of weight distributing hitch assemblies are equipped with a sway control ball connector for connection with such sway control devices. Such weight distributing hitch assemblies are generally relatively expensive and oftentimes an operator desires to equip a trailer for sway control but has no simultaneous need for weight distribution. Accordingly, the availability of combined weight distribution/sway control devices doesn""t meet such an operator""s needs.
In the previously mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,885 to Good et al., a sway control adaptor bar is secured directly to the draw bar by welding. By means of this system the operator may convert a simple draw bar and hitch ball arrangement to allow for sway control without the addition or in the absence of weight distribution. Many operators, however, would rather have a readily reversible conversion available so that the simple draw bar and hitch ball arrangement may be conveniently restored at any desired time. The present invention addresses this need.
In accordance with the present invention as described herein an apparatus is provided for converting a simple draw bar and hitch ball arrangement to allow sway control. The apparatus comprises a bracket including a notch for receiving and engaging the draw bar and a sway control connector connected to the bracket. The bracket also includes a hitch ball receiving aperture. That hitch ball receiving aperture is aligned with the notch.
The apparatus may be more fully described as comprising a bracket including a first section extending in a first plane and a second section extending in a second, different plane. The first and second sections of the bracket include a notch for receiving and engaging the draw bar. The first section also includes a hitch ball receiving aperture and a sway control mounting aperture. The hitch ball receiving aperture is aligned with the notch. A sway control connector such as a ball connector is engaged in the sway control mounting aperture. The first and second planes may form an included angle of about 90xc2x0.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a towing assembly is provided. That towing assembly includes a draw bar, a hitch ball and hitch ball fastener, a conversion bracket secured to the draw bar by means of the hitch ball and hitch ball fastener and a sway control assembly connected to the conversion bracket. As described above the conversion bracket includes a notch for receiving and engaging the draw bar and an aperture for receiving a stem of the hitch ball. Described more specifically, the conversion bracket includes first and second sections resting in different planes that form an included angle of about 90xc2x0.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for converting a simple draw bar and hitch ball arrangement to allow sway control for a trailer. The method includes the securing of a conversion bracket to the draw bar by means of the hitch ball and the connecting of a sway control device between the conversion bracket and the trailer. The method also includes the step of reversing the conversion by disconnecting the sway control device and removing the conversion bracket from the draw bar. This is accomplished by first removing the hitch ball.
In the following description there is shown and described one possible embodiment of this invention, simply by way of illustration of one of the modes best suited to carry out the invention. As it will be realized, the invention is capable of other different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.